-♪ Hey, everybody ♪ ♪ Yes, keep on dancing ♪ ♪ Let's tanken da ♪ ♪ Hey, everybody ♪ ♪ Yes, keep on dancing ♪ ♪ Let's bouken da ♪ ♪ Minna to chigatta ♪ ♪ Kono kokoro wa ru-ru ihan ka na?

♪ -♪ Doushiyou?

♪ -♪ Komattanaa!

♪ -♪ Kuuki yomisugite ♪ ♪ Sanso ga chotto ♪ ♪ Tarinai mitai ♪ -♪ Kurushiiyo!

♪ -♪ Tasukete!

♪ -♪ Kimi no tatta hitokoto de ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Subete no imi ga zenbu ♪ ♪ Akkenaku kawatteku ♪ ♪ Bokura ga sodateteru ♪ ♪ Kono kimochi wa takaramono ♪ ♪ Ohisama wo tsukama ♪ ♪ O tsukamete kyou mo susume!

♪ ♪ Motto motto tooku made ikou yo!

♪ ♪ Hey, everybody ♪ ♪ Yes, keep on dancing ♪ ♪ What?

Taihen da ♪ ♪ Hey, everybody ♪ ♪ Yes, keep on dancing ♪ ♪ Let's bouken da ♪ -Both: We're off!

-It seems Gunmachan and Yuumi are going on an outing today.

[ Humming ] I need to hurry up and get everything ready for the big house party today.

[ Plunger thwacks ] Huh?

Oh, my.

What's this?

[ Warble! ]

Let's see.

Huh?

Up?

[ Japanese folk music plays ] My, my.

What are you two doing up there?

-I am a cat.

And she is a... -Chu!

-Both: We are the Ninja Sisters.

We have come to answer your call.

-Oh, is that so?

Hello.

It's nice to meet you two.

-Both: Oh, right.

Hello.

-So, tell me, what brings you here?

-Oh!

Indeed.

As ninjas, we need clients to serve.

-Your squeak is our command!

-Oh, I see.

So you two are adapting to the current needs of the time?

-Exactly.

-We will happily accept any requests... -And take anyone out.

-Wait!

-Huh?

Stop.

Even if it comes to that, making it our selling point would be a compliance issue.

-Chu.

-It sure sounds like you both have it pretty tough.

-Our profession is becoming a thing of the past.

We are trying to find our footing.

-[ Sighs ] Oh!

I know!

Do you both consider yourselves good at using knives?

-[ Gasps ] -It's our specialty!

-Who should we take out?

-Wait!

-Huh?

-Let's see.

-Both: Wait!

-My, my!

I'm just joking!

-[ Both sigh ] -Half joking.

[ Both shudder ] -[ Grunts ] [ Blade shings ] -[ Grunts ] [ Zing! ]

[ Whistle! ]

[ Splat! ]

[ Warble! ]

-Meow, meow, meow.

-Chu.

-Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow.

-Chu.

-Wow!

You two are really amazing!

It's like you're both professional trained chefs.

-Blades are tools of our trade.

-We took out vegetables!

-You were a great help.

-What should we do next?

-Let me think.

[ Cellphone ringing ] Oh, wait.

Coming, coming!

Let's see.

Hello?

Who's this?

Oh!

Kiryu-san.

What's that?

Oh, okay.

Okay.

I understand.

Take care now.

-What's the matter?

-Kiryu-san threw her back out, so she won't be able to come over today.

I hope she's okay.

[ Zip! ]

-Leave it to us.

[ Both panting ] -Oh, this is not good!

I can barely move!

Huh?

-Both: We are the Ninja Sisters!

-What?!

-This must be it here.

[ Sproing!

Sproing! ]

There we go.

[ Muscles creak ] -Aah!

[ Groaning ] [ Shing! ]

-How do you feel now?

-What?

Oh, my!

What's this?

It doesn't hurt at all.

I'm all better!

Wow!

-Ninjas are body-movement specialists.

-We have taken out your back pain.

-Tres bien!

How wonderful.

Thank you so much.

-Then we must be off.

-Huh?

Where to?

[ Screaming ] -[ Panting ] -Today, we have yaki-manju topped with some seasonal veggies a la afternoon tea.

-How pretty!

The carrot flowers are so cute!

-Oh, and they are so detailed.

-Decorative cuts, I see.

-When did you learn these techniques?

-They're pro level.

-[ Chuckles ] -I had some super-talented helpers today.

[ Snaps fingers ] -You call, we appear.

-Both: We are the Ninja Sisters.

-This is Ninja Cat and Ninja Mouse.

-Oh, how cute!

-Ninjas?

Wow.

-Thank you all.

With that, we bid you farewell.

-Wait!

-Huh?

[ Poof! ]

-Huh?

-You both helped make this delicious food.

It's only right that you stay and enjoy it with us, as well.

-Oh, that's right.

-Let's have some tea together.

[ Plink!

Plink! ]

-If you insist.

In that case, please allow us to... Ready?

And... -Ta-da!

-Wow!

-So cool, so cool!

-Both: Oh!

The ninja art of a smokescreen!

Nin!

-[ Gasps ] They disappeared!

[ Zip! ]

-Both: The ninja art of wallpaper camouflage.

Ta-da!

-Mm.

-Oh, wow!

That was so awesome!

-They're like ninjas!

-That's because they are actual ninjas.

-Both: Thank you for your attention.

-[ Laughing ] I'd love to work with you for my next fashion show.

I would like you both to visit our school on sports day.

-Would you like to be the action stunt coordinators for our next historical drama?

-Or my yoga instructors?

-You could also teach cooking.

-We are happy to do any job that makes use of our ninja skills.

-Chu chu!

-My, my.

You two are going to get busy.

Maybe you could hire me as your manager.

-We'd gladly accept.

-How does 60/40 sound?

-[ Both gasp ] -You can hash out the details on that later.

-If you build on what you're good at, you will always find a way forward.

-With the right skills, you can carve out your own niche.

-I hope you will be able to perfect your ninja arts.

-Both: Such kind words!

-Well, it looks like we're all gonna be ninja fans now, me included.

-It's an honor.

-Chu chu!

[ Mid-tempo music plays ] [ All chewing food ] -Um, uh, hey, Mom?

-What is it?

-Um... Who are those two people?

[ Both chewing food ] Huh?

Hello!

-Hello.

-Starting today, they're part of our family.

-Oh, my.

Aren't they adorable.

Oh!

-We'll take on any mission, my liege.

-And we can take out anyone that you wish.

-Well, that's, uh... [ Laughs nervously ] -New family members are great.

-Both: Ninja power... -All: At 100%!

[ Warble!

Warble!

Warble! ]

-Um, Wise One?

-What is it, Gunmachan?

-What happens when you die?

[ Wobble!

Wobble!

Wobble! ]

-Hmm.

I've never been dead, so I don't know.

-Oh, I see.

-I was born earlier than you, and I've experienced many things.

But dying is not one of them.

So I cannot answer your question.

-Oh.

-But one thing is certain, Gunmachan.

All living things will die one day.

I can say that.

-Oh.

That's kind of sad.

-Is that so?

-Well, yeah!

-Hmm.

How do you feel right now about this time we are sharing together?

-It is fun.

-How would you feel tomorrow when looking back on today?

-Hmm.

It was fun.

-How about in a year from now?

-Hmm.

Probably... still fun?

-And in 10 years from now?

-Hmm... Also fun?

-What if I were to die five years from now?

-[ Gasps ] -That'd be sad.

-It makes me happy to know that you care so much about me.

-I do not want you to ever be gone, Wise One.

-Neither do I. I wish I could live forever and ever.

-Then why don't you?

-Even if I were to die five years from now, I'd still live on in your memories 10 years from now.

[ Soft music plays ] -That's not an answer.

-[ Laughing ] You're right.

It's not.

[ Dramatic note plays ] -Let's go over that again.

[ Shing! ]

[ Shing! ]

Every fun and happy moment you share with someone lives on.

And as long as there's someone alive carrying that memory, it never truly fades.

Isn't that wonderful?

-Gunmachan.

-Huh?

-Death is something that happens to all living creatures no matter what.

-Oh.

I see.

-However, it's not something to greatly fear.

-Oh I see.

-We can still learn about those who have died thousands of years ago.

-But how?

-Take a look there.

-Huh.

-Books tell us their stories through words and pictures and teach us about the past.

-That's true.

-That is what we call culture.

And it's something only we have.

-I've never thought about that.

-Some of the things we have today didn't exist a few thousand years ago.

Culture is what allows us to learn about the people who came before us.

-[ Gasps ] That's cool!

-Everything is connected.

And I have an archive of my own.

-Hmm?

-I had ham and eggs with toast this morning!

-Aha!

Another piece of culture for my "Notebook of Wisdom."

[ Book thuds ] -Allow me to explain.

The "Notebook of Wisdom" is the book in which the Wise One records all sorts of things.

-Thank you.

[ Sloop! ]

-Yesterday, I went to Haniwa Village with Aoma and Meemi, and they were super happy to see us.

-Yes, yes.

That would be culture, too.

Let's add that in.

-So do you record everything?

-What drives me is my curiosity.

I want to know everything.

-Everything?

-Ever since I was born, I've wanted to spend my whole life learning everything I can.

-Whoa!

-However, I have quit.

-But why?

-It's simple.

[ Book closes ] Everything is impossible.

-That's true.

-So now I thoroughly research areas I'm interested in.

-But why?

-Because it's fun.

-Mm, mm.

-And I've discovered that being alive every day is wonderful.

-I woke up today!

-Congratulations.

-I fought with my friend.

-Congratulations.

-I made up with my friend.

-Big congratulations!

-I eat yaki-manju.

-Congrats!

-I had a really long conversation with Wise One!

-Congratulations!

[ Mid-tempo music plays ] ♪♪ [ Sloop! ]

-And I thought about death.

-Congratulations.

It's important to want to know.

-[ Sighs ] It's fun to be born and live every day, but it's also hard.

-Congratulations.

It's quite the achievement to realize that.

That's why we must cherish every day.

[ Wobble! ]

-Congratulations.

-Yes.

Gunmachan, congratulations.

[ Both laughing ] -[ Chuckles ] See you next time, Wise One.

-One moment, Gunmachan.

-What is it?

-Let's sing.

-Oh!

-After this, Gunmachan and the Wise One sang their hearts out, danced with all their might, sweated out playing sports, and played online games to their hearts' content.

-[ Yawns ] -[ Yawns ] [ Both yawn ] [ Soft music plays ] ♪♪ -See you later.

♪♪ -The Japanese word for death is phonetically the same as many other words with different meanings.

It might be interesting to explore that.

-[ Slurps ] Ahh!

That was another great day.

-♪ La la la la la, la la la la la ♪ [ Laughs ] Wise One power... at 100%.

-Today, Gunmachan is going on a road trip with Yuumi, Dad, and Uncle.

-Another sunny day in Gunma!

-It sure is.

-It's nice being out with you, Gunmachan.

-It sure is.

-It's nice being with Yuumi, too.

-It sure is!

-It's nice being out with my big bro.

-Mm-hmm.

Yep.

It's sure fun.

-All righty, then!

Seat belts, everyone!

[ All grunt ] Hold on, y'all.

[ Engine revs ] [ Zip!

Bang! ]

[ All screaming ] [ Siren wailing ] -You there, pull over now!

-[ Groans ] [ Blip! ]

[ Whoosh! ]

Eh, stuff like that... happened quite a bit 20 years ago.

-He's joking.

It never happened.

-Oh, wow.

Was it 10 years ago?

-I just said it never happened.

-Anyways, we are off!

Hold on, baby.

[ Engine revs, tires screech ] [ Bird chirps ] [ Mid-tempo music plays ] This is so freeing!

-Freeing?

-Mm-hmm!

We can go anywhere and do anything today.

It's all up to us.

That's called freedom.

-But, Uncle, wouldn't it be more fun if we knew where we were going to?

-Making a plan and sticking to it is a good thing, too.

-Ooh!

That's another way of going about it.

It's fun either way.

-So which one are we doing today?

-Okay, let's take a vote.

Who wants to choose a destination first?

-Both: Mm!

-Two of us.

Who wants to randomly drive around and find places on the way?

-Both: Mm!

-So it's two against two.

Should we get a referee decision?

-Referee?

-The leader of a road trip is none other than the driver.

They have to be attentive to every detail while on the road.

-Huh?

-In other words, I'm the referee.

So there are three votes for randomly driving around.

And with that, it's decided.

-Yay!

-That's fine, but... -I don't think that was very fair.

-Hey, when you grow up, you'll learn the difference between being polite and being real.

-Kids don't really need to know that yet.

-I didn't know that.

-I already did.

[ Indicator beeps ] -[ Gasps ] We're almost out of gas!

Running out of gas and getting stuck somewhere would make this a classic road trip.

But we're going to avoid that by getting to a rest stop.

[ Mid-tempo music plays ] Let's grab something to eat first!

Yay!

-Both: Oh!

-Eh, a grilled pork skewer and yaki-manju soft serve, please.

Oh!

Melon bread, too!

-I wouldn't try this, kids.

-[ Chomping ] Mmm!

Oh!

Hey, look.

This is exclusive to the rest stop.

It would be a waste not to eat it.

[ Sour note plays ] -Gunmachan, Yuumi!

-Both: Huh?

-Is there anything you'd like to eat?

-Both: Yay!

♪♪ -These kids are so much fun!

Gunmachan, Yuumi, did you go to the bathroom?

-Yeah, I did.

-I'm okay!

-Are you both sure you're good to go?

-Both: Yes, Uncle!

-Alrighty.

Then we're off.

-That reminds me, Akio, you forgot to put in gas, didn't you?

-[ Shuddering ] -It's fine.

There's no need to worry.

I'm sure we'll make it to the next rest stop just fine.

-It's not because of that.

-Then what is it?

-There is... something I need... to tell you all.

-[ Gasps ] [ Suspenseful music plays ] -I have to... go to the bathroom!

[ All shuddering ] [ Crying ] I can't hold it!

-They ended up having to stop at the next rest stop.

But I should point out that not all rest stops have gas stations.

-[ Screams ] Almost there!

This is gonna be a photo finish!

[ Panting ] [ Toilet flushes ] Ahh!

The car is fully juiced up and ready to rock.

We should definitely eat, too.

-Okay!

-Oh, yeah!

-Mmm!

Gunma pork cutlet meal.

Ooh!

Gunma beef shogayaki meal!

Gunma chicken meal.

Ooh!

What do you want?

You can get anything you like.

You got this, right, big bro?

-Huh?

Uh, yeah, okay.

[ Camera shutter clicks ] -After that, they stopped at random tourist spots and enjoyed a full day of sightseeing.

All is well that ends well.

-The journey isn't over until we get home.

So, how was the road trip today?

-Together: It was so much fun!

-Do you want to go again?

-Together: Yeah!

-Is your uncle the absolute best?

-Together: You're the best!

-The best... [ Mumbles ] Nothing!

-Akio got so excited that he wore himself out.

-He might be your twin brother, but he kind of acts like a child.

-[ Laughs ] That is what's great about him.

-Huh?

What is?

-Kids all grow up and turn into adults, and they can forget about when they were young.

But some adults stay the same even after they grow up.

-Sounds like uncle.

-And since we're twins, I'm actually a lot like him and still a kid too, you know?

-Really?

-just don't tell your mom about it.

-You mean about the action figures hidden in your locker?

-[ Laughs nervously ] I guess since all four of us are kids here, we can have each other's backs, right?

-I like that.

-Roger that.

-I can't eat anymore.

[ Mumbles ] -Uncle power... at 100%.

[ Maria Imamura's "Happy" plays ] ♪♪ -[ Singing in Japanese ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪